Unknown Longings
by PsylanceSimons
Summary: Laxus has been having these weird dreams and he can't shake the feeling that they're suppose to mean something. Or at least, the person in them is suppose to mean something. While dealing with his inner traumas, in reality one terrible thing after another is happening to his Thunder Legion and he must help them in any and all means possible. THIS IS FRAXUS!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey world! PsylanceSimons here, and this is my first ever (not Hetalia) Fairy Tail fic! I will let you all know that I have absolutely no clue where this story is headed or how long it will be. I just had the sudden urge to write, and while I should be writing "Try and Hear Me" I wanted to write something else *shrug* I donno. **

**So this IS Fraxus! It's not the most popular pairing in the world but I don't care! I like it! There is also slight mentions of other pairings in this thing, and if you don't like them then I'm sorry, don't rip my head off! **

**Any who, enjoy the fruits of my imagination!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or it's characters, but admit, I would completely mess up the show if I did ;D **

Long silky hair threaded through his fingers. A small whimper was heard under him and trembling was felt beneath his touch. His voice was coming out in heavy breaths and he was muttering nonsense. The room they were in was dark and vacant except for the two bodies. There wasn't a sound except for exchanged breaths and mumbles here and there.

He bent his head down and connected with skin. It was addictive. He nuzzled the flesh, not getting enough of the feeling of it on his face. Experimentally, he placed a kiss on the skin and the owner let out the cutest mewl. He was addicted to that as well, so he continued the action.

He didn't know how he got here or how long this would last but he wasn't complaining. His sensed eluded him as well as time. He didn't care; he could give a damn.

A long breath came from the mouth next to his ear and the owner let out a content sigh. After the one beneath him clung to his body and wheezed out, "Laxus."

Then he woke up.

He always woke up after that part, and it was starting to get on his nerves.

The blond mage sat up in his oversized, plush bed wiping the sweat from his brow. He turned his head to the side and glanced at his clock. It read 2: 46 a.m. Laxus hummed to himself. He was losing more and more sleep, and for what? All for this weird dream that always leaves him with a boner in the morning? It was ridiculous.

Laxus sighed. He knew he wouldn't get anymore sleep so he might as well get ready. Once the blond was all washed up (as well as took care of the products of the dream) and dressed in his lavishing cloths, he sat as his kitchen table and devoured his breakfast.

The scarred man looked out the window to see that the sun was just rising. The sunrises in Magnolia were always a sight to behold, but for some reason it was taunting for the mage. The light promised a new day: a new start. All Laxus saw was the beginning of a headache. Ever since that second-rate S class wizard Gildarts allowed Laxus back into Fairy Tail, all the other – younger – mages would not cease to annoy the hell out of him: always picking a fight, asking him infuriating questions, acting like a bunch of mindless children, etc.

They didn't bother the blond as much as before . . . well _before_, he would've loved nothing better than to shock them all to a crisp. However, now those thoughts of harming any of the guild members sent an unpleasant chill down his spine. He swore to himself that he would never harm another member again. He would protect them. They were his family, and all he had left.

With another sigh, Laxus shoved the last bits of his meal into his mouth then proceeded to wash his dirty dishes. With his body moving on autopilot, his mind dwelled back to that dream of his. It bothered him to no end. What were they doing (not that he didn't already have a safe bet)? Who was that other person and why did their voice sound so familiar? Why did this dream keep happening so often, now more than ever?

The scarred man let out an irritated sigh as he put the last of his dishes away. Thinking about this sort of thing was giving him a headache, and that job was reserved for a certain pink haired nescience.

When the hour was acceptable, the lightning-dragon mage headed out to the guild hall. Luckily, his home wasn't too far from his destination. Upon entering the guild, the blond was met with people drinking, laughing, and arguing. Yup, same shit every day. It amazed Laxus how happy (and how they could stomach alcohol) so early in the morning.

Without a word, the wizard sulked to the bar and took a seat. Grabbing his spiked headphones from around his neck, he placed them over his ears and tried to drown out Natsu and Grey's fighting (flirting). The magic item activated as soon as the device was over his ears and music began to play. The volume was just high enough so everyone was drowned out but his eardrums didn't burst.

Laxus sat at the bar, undisturbed, for a good while and it was bliss. He was snapped out of his thoughts when an arm was slung over his shoulder. He couldn't hear what the person that was on him was saying, but he could tell from the colorful shirt sleeve that it was Bickslow.

The blond turned his head and tapped his headphone signaling that he couldn't hear the other and didn't care to try to. However, the Seith mage was stubborn and annoying so he grabbed one of Laxus' headphones and moved it away from his ear just enough for the blue-black haired man to yell, "I said: what are ya doin' sittin' here all alone, Laxus!"

The scarred man winced at his teammate's loudness and swatted him away from his bleeding ear. When his listening device was removed from his head the music stopped, so Laxus could hear the totems – that were always with the man – chant, "All alone! All alone! Laxus is all alone!"

The man smiled down at him with his 'babies' hovering all around him. He wore his usual garb: a mix of a jester's uniform and a knight's armor. His eyes were covered, to Laxus' relief, with a helmet that also covered his wild hair.

The lightning mage rolled his eyes and answered, "Oh, just getting annoyed as hell . . . nothing new . . ."

"Nothing new indeed," a new voice said behind the blond. Laxus turned around to see Evergreen. She wore her unofficial uniform as well: short, slightly poofed out, green dress with her hair tied back in a sloppy styled bun with strands falling to her face. Glasses sat on her nose and, currently, a fan covered majority of her face. She snapped the thing closed and continued, "You've been awful lazy lately Laxus. The latest crisis has been averted, yet again, by Natsu's team and everything. Maybe we should start looking at some jobs, yes?"

The suggestion did make sense to the lightning mage, but in all honesty: he really didn't feel like taking on a job today. He felt like it would be far too easy of a task, no matter what the request. It would help him relieve some pent up stress, from what exactly he wasn't sure himself, but in the end his lazy hide got the better of him.

He sighed to the woman, "You can go on a job, Ever. I'm sayin' here."

She huffed in annoyance, "Geez you became _really_ lazy." She then turned her heel and left, most likely to flirt (fight) with her 'manly boyfriend'. Bickslow, being Bickslow, laughed it off and too left the blond. Laxus didn't mind, he was fine on his own – always has been always will be.

With that, he placed his headphones back on his head and continued to waist the day away in his own dreamland. He was almost back to complete bliss when he was distracted by a figure. This figure took a seat next to him. Laxus was about to complain, in his own thoughts, of how this guy could've picked any seat in the whole damn bar and this guy chooses to sit next to him, until he noticed who it was. The final member of the Thunder Legion: Freed.

Unlike Bickslow and Evergreen, Freed didn't bother Laxus in any way. He simply sat next to him. When Laxus' attention was grabbed by the Dark Écriture mage, his head turned towards the young man. It seemed that the green haired man was talking, but not to Laxus. He seemed to be exchanging words with Mira Jane. The two talked for a bit, Mira even giggled, then she left to get the wizard a drink that he probably requested.

His teammate was too wearing his usual cloths which consisted of his long red jacket and knee high boots. The wizard's sword hung at his side just in case the need for it arises. His outfit was simple but it worked for him.

Laxus' eyes lingered on Freed's frame. His posture was perfect and his ankles were laced together and tucked under his chair. His hands were gracefully folded on the countertop and he kept his head low. His long hair flowed down his back and was tied together at the bottom. The way those locks floated down his back made his spine look so curved. The blond's eyes drifted up towards Freed's face. His expression was blank, but that wasn't where Laxus' main focus was, it always came back to that hair. The way it was styled to spike up into lightning bolts, and the way two strands from either side of his face flowed down the front of his body, or even the way the mage covered part of his face. It was alluring. . .

What the _hell_ was he thinking?! _Alluring?!_ Where did that come from?!

Laxus ripped his eyes away from the mage. He was just sleep deprived. Yeah, sleep deprived. That's why he thought that . . .

Mira returned with Freed's drink. She placed the cup down with a smile which the green haired man returned. For some reason Laxus didn't like that. Mira lingered a while longer, striking up a conversation with the mage. The two laughed at something that Laxus still couldn't understand.

Why did this bother him so?

Not wanting to deal with the irritation any longer, the wizard got up from his stool and walked out of the guild hall claiming he needed some air.

If only he turned back to see blue eyes looking longingly at his back as he walked away from him.

**So that's the end of that chapter! Like I said, I don't know where this is going! If y'all got an idea as to where this is going, feel free to share it! If not then Imma just gonna go with ma gut! XD **

**If there were any errors I'm sorry! Please tell me about them! (In my defense I wrote this in like two hours or something like that)**

**Comment, Fav, Fallow, all is appreciated! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Freed woke up this morning feeling depressed and cold. He had another dreamless sleep yet he woke up in a cold sweat. His body radiated heat but he still felt freezing as ice. Sitting up in his bed he looked out the window. The sun wasn't too high in the sky. The mage estimated that the time was around eight O'clock in the morning.

A sigh escaping his lips, he hoisted himself off his comforting bed and got ready for the day. He dressed in his usual attire after a long, hot shower. After he was properly groomed and clothed, he set out to the guild hall which wasn't too far from his home.

The air was crisp and refreshing which woke the mage up quite a bit. By the time the green haired male reached the guild, he was shivering a bit. Placing his hands on his arms rubbing them up and down to regain some sort of feeling from them, he walked into the hall to see the usual suspects doing their usual thing.

It was moments like these, amongst the peaceful chaos, in which the mage enjoyed. They weren't fighting for their lives against some dark guild or trying to stop some twisted wizard from taking over the world. Everyone was simply enjoying one another's company and it made a smile cross the mage's face.

Freed only took a total of five steps into the hall until he was bombarded by Evergreen and Bickslow. Evergreen said, with a harmless-flirtatious grin on her lips, "Hey Freed."

"Good morning," the man returned.

"Geez what's with the formality, Freed?" Bickslow asked as he slung an arm over the slimmer man's shoulders.

The man's totems then mocked, "Formal! Formal! We don't like formal!"

Freed raised a brow at his friend but didn't respond. Frankly, he didn't know what to say to that. To the other two, the silence was something they were use to by the green haired mage.

The three chatted idly for a bit before Freed noticed a certain blond sitting all alone at the bar. The leader of their team, Laxus, had his headphones in which meant he was pretty much dead to the world. This saddened the Dark Écriture mage. Oh how he longed to be buy that strong body.

For the longest time, Freed had the most embarrassing crush on Laxus. For as long as Freed has known the lightning mage, he's had some sort of attraction to him, whether it be from admiration to something more intimate. The other two members of the thunder legion, as well as a few others, were aware of this infatuation, and it was all from speculation. Freed never spoke of his crush but the two quickly figured it out for themselves. It was quite embarrassing.

Apparently, Freed's eyes lingered on the blond a bit too long for Evergreen smirked at the green haired mage and said, "You know, Laxus has been exceptionally inattentive as of lately. Perhaps you could motivate him?" The fairy mage raised a suggestive brow at Freed hoping to get some sort of reaction from the man.

Freed let out a quick sigh, and his gaze wondered back to Laxus.

"When are you going to tell him?" Ever asked quietly, uncharacteristically serious. Her hazel eyes held a saddened tint to them, and she looked genuinely curious and upset about the matter.

Freed shifted under the weight of Bickslow's arm that was over his shoulders. This was not the time nor place to be talking about a topic that was so sensitive. A topic in which anyone could. Knowing this crowd, if the news got out it would spread faster than a wild fire. Freed did care dearly for their leader, but the mage knew it would never work out. Laxus had always been infatuated with women, and Freed wasn't anything near female. It created a wound in his heart, but he would cope with it, for Laxus' sake.

He gave an apologetic look to the brunet and said, "Never."

The fairy mage opened her mouth to protest but the taller male beat her to it. "Why not, man!? You're awesome and Laxus could use a stable relationship with a nice guy to keep his head screwed on straight!"

Freed blinked at Bickslow. "T-that's very kind of you to say. But I fear that other problems would arise if I were to tell Laxus of my feeling for him."

One being: he might kick me out of the Thunder Legion.

"Aw, you don't know that until you say somethin'!" the man said giving the Dark Écriture mage's shoulders a squeeze.

"I, strangely, agree," Ever put in. She placed a loving hand on Freed's arm and continued, "We just want you to be happy. I mean, you look like shit right now. How many hours of sleep did you get last night, like five?"

Against my better judgment, I answered, "Less."

"See! This is what we mean! You're driving yourself insane with this! Just say something," the woman pleaded.

Freed breathed a sigh, his shoulders sagging. "It is far too early to be talking about such a serious topic." He removed himself from Bickslow's grasp and walked away from the two.

Before he could get too far away, Evergreen called, "By the way, we're going on a job later today! Laxus won't be joining us, but it'll be a breeze anyway!"

The green haired mage turned and nodded his head to the two and continued to walk. He just needed to clear his head, even if it was for a moment. Not even realizing it, Freed was walking in the direction of the blond and even took a seat next to him before he could think otherwise.

When the green haired man took a seat, it took all his will power to not look over to the blond. He didn't want to disturb him, it was the last thing he wanted to do. It was only a brief moment until Mira Jane came over, a damp cup in hand and a smile on her face. "Well, good morning Freed!" the woman greeted with a sugary-sweet smile.

"Good morning," the mage replied, and returned the smile as well.

Mira must've sensed Freed's discomfort. She was one of the other people to know about the Dark Écriture mage's hidden emotion towards the lightning-dragon mage. Knowing this, she knew it must've been increasingly awkward for the green haired man.

Her smile faltered a bit, but still held its brightness when she said, "You know, Laxus has been here all morning, sulking."

The mage raised a brow at what the white haired girl said and by the fact that they were talking about Laxus right in front of his face and he didn't seem to notice. It was humorous and baffling (how loud was Laxus' music?).

"Sulking?" Freed pried, "About what?"

The girl shrugged as she dried the cup in her hands. "He hasn't spoken much. But I will admit, it's funny to see him so down for no apparent reason. It's like he's pouting like a child." She giggled and Freed couldn't help but smile as well. Her laugh was quite contagious.

Once her giggles settled, she asked, "Would you like anything to drink, Freed?"

"A simple glass water will do. Thank you."

"No problem at all!" She then left with a smile to get the mage his beverage.

Freed laced his fingers together on the table to ensure they wouldn't shake. It was ridiculous. Freed was acting so nervous, as if his teenage crush was a ways away and he was a teenage girl getting all flustered. Yet, he was a grown man and Laxus was sitting right next to him.

The mage took a steadying breath, it wavering a bit in the process. Why was he so nervous now? It was almost humorous to think that when facing the lightning-dragon's rage, Freed would remain calm and collected as always. Maybe a bit stunned, but never afraid of the blond. Yet, when the man was doing nothing, it would make the green haired man's hands shake and sweat and it was all so_embarrassing_.

Mira then came back with Freed's water, snapping the mage out of his thoughts. "You know," she said as she placed the cup down gingerly, "you look so nervous, yet you aren't even doing anything."

"Am I that obvious?" the green haired man asked as he took a sip of the water.

"To everyone but him." Mira then pointed to the blond next to him that seemed to be zoning out. She let out a soft giggle and Freed joined her. Laxus still had no idea that he was being talked about, or at least it seemed.

Laxus then got up from his seat and stormed out of the guild and back into the world. Freed watched as the blond made his exit. Was it possible that he heard what they were talking about?

"Oh, don't worry about him, Freed," Mira reassured, "Like I said, he's been moody all day!"

He wanted to believe the girl's words, but that was always that plague of doubt. Shifting a bit of hair out of his face he replied, "If you say so."

"FREED!" a voice called from over the escalating noise. He turned his head to where he heard his name being called. From the job board, he saw Ever and Bickslow standing in front of it. Bickslow was reading one of the jobs with a very concentrated face while Evergreen held a flier in her hand and was waving the green haired man over with the other. They must've found a suitable job for the day. Well, at least the fairy mage did.

The mage stood from his stool and said to Mira, "I suppose I must be going."

"Alright, have fun on the job!" the girl responded.

He nodded to her and walked toward an impatient Evergreen and a distracted Bickslow.

* * *

**Hello all~! I'm sorry that I haven't touched this story in a while, but I managed to put something together! I think I have an idea where this is going, but at the same time I have no clue XD But oh well. I'll just go with it. **

**Thanks to everyone for reading and feel free to drop a review! **

**((I don't own fairy tail, if that needed to be clarified))**


	3. Chapter 3

It's been a long time, far too long for a simple job. From the blond's knowledge, it was a second rate assignment that was a ways away from Magnolia. The job itself was supposedly a breeze and for the members of the Thunder Legion it shouldn't have been a problem.

But it's been two weeks.

A job that was supposed to be easy shouldn't have taken _two weeks_.

On the outside, Laxus was his usual cool and aloof self. Anytime they were mentioned, he would either tune the person out or straight up leave. People thought he was just being a grump, but he was actually worried sick about his team. Sure, they were an odd, obnoxious group, but they were _his_ odd and obnoxious group. He wouldn't – honestly –want to surround himself with anyone else.

With his worries aside, there was another . . . complication that seemed to become more and more frequent and quite troublesome.

It was his dream.

Yeah, _that_ dream.

The images and sensations were getting more and more vivid. He was getting tired of waking up with the weirdest boner. But the only thing that made the blond look forward to sleep was the fact that with every passing day the other person in his dream was becoming more and more clear. They were gaining an identity. Laxus could hear their voice, see small features, etc.

He was hoping that this would be just some random person in which he didn't know. Unfortunately, all that he could deduce was that it was a member of Fairy Tail, and that it was a man. Laxus wasn't disappointed to figure this out, but he was indeed shocked. He always associated himself as straight, but this dream plagued his mind with doubt.

Around the sixteenth day after the Thunder Legion left, Laxus finally got word on his teammates. In fact, he got said word straight from the horse's mouth. While the lightning mage was having his second or third drink of the day, the door to the hall opened with a heavy bang. All heads turned to the entrance to see Evergreen leaning heavily against the frame. Her breath came out ragged and she looked like she could barely stay on her feet.

The blond slammed his drink of the bar and rushed to the woman's side right before she slammed her head to the floor. The brunet collapsed as soon as Laxus reached her. Luckily, she fell right into the blond's arms. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she lost consciousness.

She looked awful. Her dress was torn to shreds – which Laxus knew she was going to throw a fit about it later – and was drenched in blood. Her glasses were cracked, in which Laxus would have to get her a new pair A.S.A.P. Her hair was out of its usual style and was now sticking out in a random fashion and coated in dirt and hardened red liquid. Wounds littered her body, some continued to bleed around the grime that stained her skin.

_Who could've done this? _

Without a word, Laxus lifted the brunet in his arms and rushed her to the back of the guild where she would receive medical attention. Eyes followed him as he carried her to the back and he was even joined by a few worried members. He placed her on a bed as gently as he could. Her injuries already began to stain the white sheets under her.

When the lightning mage stepped back, his spot was immediately replaced by Elfman. The brute took hold of the frail woman's hand and held it tightly. Tears pricked at his eyes but didn't dare let them fall, for that wouldn't be _manly_.

Laxus would leave the healing to the wizards who actually knew what they were doing. He stood not too far from the bed, keeping an eye on the brunet. Elfman too didn't dare leave Ever's side, which Laxus found annoying and endearing – the second he would never say out loud.

But then a thought dawned on the blond_: where were the other two? Where was the rest of his team? If Evergreen was like this, how were the others? Were they just as bad if not worse?_

Laxus clenched his jaw and fists. Lightning crackled from his body as those thoughts invaded his mind. Just thinking about the possibilities set the mage off.

The blond stepped out for the lightning was beginning to worry the other wizards. He didn't mind, for he needed some air anyway. He paced back and forth trying to calm himself, but to no avail. Out of frustration, Laxus punched the side of the guild which sent electric sparks dancing up the side of the building. A thick, dark crack fallowed the lightning up the guild hall, leaving an angry scar. The punch shook the whole building and he was sure that everyone knew the blond's frustration and rage. Laxus would deal with the lecture about it later; he really just needed to let off some steam (and really, that was him holding back).

Letting out a frustrated sigh, combined with a growl, the blond marched back into the hall. He really hoped that Ever was awake. Not only to see about her health, but also to know the name of the bastard that put her in that hospital bed so he could beat the living shit out of them.

* * *

Luckily, Evergreen was awake by the time he reentered the room, so the lightning mage didn't have to break any more of the guild hall. However, she was still in no shape to walk or do much of anything other than vegetating. The brunet was sitting up, a new set of glasses sat on her nose, and her hair a bit more tame now. Her major injuries were gone but she was still wrapped like a mummy. She seemed to be having a serious conversation with Elfman and a few other wizards (the main suspects like Natsu, Grey, Lucy, and Erza).

As soon as the blond entered the room, all eyes were on him. He parted the small crowd without a word and nudged his head towards the door and they all left without a word. He was grateful for the fact that they were following orders for once and he didn't even have to say them.

Laxus took a seat next to the brunet and asked in a raspier voice than he expected, "How're you holding up?" He didn't mean for his tone to be so concerned sounding, but it was too late to take it back.

"I'm fine Laxus," Evergreen said weakly. It was odd to hear her sound so vulnerable. The lightning mage decided he didn't like it.

The two sat in an awkward silence for a moment. It was odd; Ever and the blond didn't really have _real_ conversations in the past. Sure they made idle chit-chat before, but they didn't really have heart-felt, tear jerking, rage-building conversations before. And with what Laxus was going to ask – and the woman knew what he was going to ask – he knew that one of those three emotions would be shown.

With a deep breath the mage finally asked, "What bastard did this to you?" His voice came out in a primal growl which made Ever flinch. She hadn't heard that sort of tone since Tenrou Island. He was seriously pissed. But Ever wasn't too worried, for he wasn't mad at her but at her attackers. Boy, were they going to be in a world of pain . . .

Taking a breath of her own, she managed out, "It was a new guild, a dark guild." Her eyes cast downward as she continued her tale, "Our job was simple. But then _they_ showed up. I feel bad to say that we didn't stand a chance . . . Well we were pretty low on magic at the time, so I guess that's why we were taken out so easily." She took a shaky breath. "I'm surprised I managed to get out of there. But Laxus . . ." Her voice cracked and she looked up to meet the man's hard gaze. Her hand clenched into a tight fist and her eyes were foggy with tears threatening to run down her cheeks. She looked so angry but sorrowful at the same time.

"They took the others; Freed and Bickslow. They took them and I couldn't do a damn thing about it! I just ran, like a coward! I couldn't save them." Evergreen clenched her eyes shut and the tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I can't imagine what those bastards are doing to them. . ."

That last bit fueled the rage within Laxus enough to take out half the continent. His nails dug into his palm and his jaw began to hurt. He tried his best to keep calm, as he hissed out through his teeth, "Where was that dark guild last?"

"A few towns over," she answered. She pointed to a piece of crumpled paper that was sitting on the night stand. The male reached for it to see it was the job flyer. He found the town and nodded in understanding.

He fisted the paper and threw it to the ground. Under his breath, he muttered, "They're dead. . ." And he walked out of the room.

The blond was about to leave the guild hall – he was ready to unleash his rage – when he was stopped by a voice, "Wait a sec, Laxus." The lightning mage turned and looked over his shoulder. Natsu and his gang stood behind him with determination set on their faces. The speaker, the pink haired mage himself, continued, "We're coming with you!"

The wizard raised a brow. "Why?" he asked in a deadpanned tone.

"What do you mean 'why'?!" Grey said, "Evergreen, Freed, Bickslow . . . they're our friends!"

Laxus tried not to roll his eyes at the statement, but the temptation was too strong. It was so cliché, and he felt like he's heard that reasoning a million-one times. It was annoying as hell.

"Yeah, well they're my teammates – not yours – so stay out of this," the lightning dragon wizard said as he turned his head back around. He was about to depart once again but a hand on his shoulder kept him in place.

"We're going with you. It is not a decision up for debate."

Laxus' eyes shifted to see it was Erza's hand on him. He made eye contact with the woman but couldn't hold it for very long. She was right. He couldn't talk them out of it; he could see it in her eyes.

With an irritated sigh, Laxus turned back around and said just loud enough for them to hear, "Just don't get in my way."

* * *

Let me just say that I have this headcannon where both Freed and Evergreen can't really control their eye magic, but Bickslow can, so that's why Laxus needed to get Ever a new pair of glasses. Just wanted to let y'all know ^^

Reviews are much appreciated for I want to know how I'm doing with my writings!

Thanks for reading and stay awesome! ^^


	4. Chapter 4

"OW! Man that stings!"

"Bare with it for a few more seconds."

"Yeah, but it huuuuuuurts!"

"Oh, you big baby. . ."

As Freed sighed out those words, he couldn't help but let a smile slip on his face, but it soon faded. The circumstances surrounding the two wouldn't allow the grin to stay. Freed placed the medical tools on the nights stand next to the bed and let the other catch his breath. Twenty stitches in five minutes was no picnic.

The green-haired male sat back in his seat and looked around the room for what seemed like the millionth time. Their room – their prison – was _elegant_. It wasn't spacious, but it was one of the most well furnished places he's ever been in. The room had two queen sized beds that took up most of the space and had matching chairs, couches, and dressers were scattered about. Everything was a deep red with a golden trim and had the most beautiful patterns decorated on them.

When the two woke up in the beds, they couldn't be more confused. Their prison cell had been luxurious, sure, but as soon as the two were up they frantically searched for a way out. There were no windows and the door was false, to their surprise. In their investigation, Freed managed to find a first aid kit and decided to patch each other up. Freed had his share of bumps and bruises but Bickslow had taken heavier hits. By the time the ruin mage finished, the other became a well dressed mummy.

Bickslow's mask sat on the bedside table next to the first aid kit, and his shirt was removed but he was covered in bandages acting like a second shirt. He laid back in onto the pillows, and let out a sigh as he pushed a hand through his hair. The mage looked like he needed to rest more, but as much as Freed protested the brute wouldn't close an eye.

Without warning, Bickslow sat up and tried to maneuver himself out of bed. Freed's brows shot up and pushed the man's chest, trying to get him back to bed. "Oh no you don't! You need to rest Bickslow!"

"Like hell I will," the larger male snapped. He looked at the green-haired male and explained, "We need to get outta here, right?"

"That is true, but leave that task to me. I highly doubt we can punch our way out of this one," Freed argued as he forced the other lower onto the bed.

With a huff, Bickslow agreed and rested his blue hair on the pillows and closed his eyes. The ruin mage didn't move until he heard the unmistakable snores from the other. He got up from his chair to examine the room once more. It was decoratively plain with its elegant furniture, but held no meaning to them. The walls were horribly bare: vacant of wallpaper, pictures, and windows.

Freed sighed through his nose and paced the room in thought. Subconsciously, he reached for his sword to realize – for what seemed like the twentieth time – that it was taken away from him. The green-haired male even missed those annoying totems that followed Bickslow around, but those were taken from them as well.

Hands turned to fists as he paced the room, restless. Freed went to a wall and placed a hand on it and banged his fist against it, but it had no power in it. He was merely testing the waters. The mage then brushed some hair out of his right eye to reveal the purple glow of magic. To test the waters further Freed threw some of his Dark Écriture at the wall. Just as he predicted, the magic was absorbed into wall. His attack didn't even leave a dent in the wall.

The green-haired man grit his teeth and was tempted to punch the wall again, this time with all his might. _This is so frustrating!_ Freed thought as his hands re-fisted, _Apparently, our magic isn't effective in this room. It has some sort of protection spell . . . perhaps I could rewrite it if I knew where the spell was cast. Or I could even write a counter curse on the walls . . ._

Freed's mind wondered in that sort of direction for a few moments as he started at the wall. He was about to execute one of his plans when a voice echoed in the room, _"__I wouldn't try that if I were you."_

Freed nearly jumped five feet in the air. His eyes darted all around the room in search of the voice but found the room to be empty, save for Bickslow who was still snoring away. The mage swallowed and replied timidly, "H-hello? Who's there?"

_"__Not important,"_ the voice replied harshly. The mage got irritated quickly at this unknown person. For one thing, he couldn't identify the gender. The voice didn't seem to sound like one or the other. Also, Freed wasn't too fond of the tone of this person. It was harsh and it felt like they were talking down to him. It was all quite annoying to the ruin mage.

His eyes narrowing, Freed called to the disembodied voice, "Well, that is for me to decide." The wizard reached for his sword, once again, but when he felt nothing but air he settled for digging his nails into his palm. "Tell me where we are, this instant!" Freed ordered.

_"__You are in no position to be giving _me _orders!"_ the voice laughed.

"Show your face. Only cowards hide."

_"__Humph, but losers are trapped in cages." _

Out of anger, Freed yelled, "_Shatter_!" And with a slash of his hand, a wave of magic was sent upward, but it was in vein. The magic, just like the time before, was absorbed into the walls.

The voice laughed at his failed attempt and said through bursts of giggles, _"You cannot get out of here with that pathetic magic! In fact, you two will never get out of here!"_

* * *

I'm aware that this chapter is much shorter in comparison to the others and is lacking in detail as well, but I wanted to get this out there so I rushed it a bit. Also as a bit of a side note: I don't really know how ruin magic works nor Dark Écriture, so if I got some stuff wrong about the mechanics of it I'm sorry.

Please leave a review to tell me how I'm doing! I'd love to know what I can improve and such, or if people even like it

Thanks everyone~!


	5. Chapter 5

First I wanna say thank you to one awesome guest that told me that I've accidently been saying "ruin" instead of "rune". THANK YOU SO MUCH!

This isn't the longest chapter, and I apologize for that, but the next one is gonna be a bit longer and more violent XD so I suppose that's something to look forward to.

Thanks for reading everyone and remember: I own nothing but the plot!

* * *

Walking into an unknown town is always a thrill for the Lightning Dragon Slayer. Sure he had no idea who any of these people were – nor did he care – but they all knew him, and they were terrified of him. It never ceased to amuse him when people would either gawk at the blond or run in fear of him. He didn't do so much of as bat and eyelash and he would send people screaming for the hills.

This town was no different. He stayed in the back of Team Natsu, but when the townsfolk saw the mage their reactions were just like any other sane person: they ran. It was difficult for Natsu and the others to ask for information when the lightning wizard was around freakin' people out.

After a whispered debate, Erza respectfully asked Laxus to wait outside as they went into a bar to ask a few questions regarding a dark guild in the area so they could begin their search. Laxus huffed but agreed to the request, even though he wanted to go into the bar for a good drink.

Laxus shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the building near the entrance. He let out a breath and as he did a small puff of smoke followed. Sure the days were getting colder, but as they traveled north to this town the weather only seemed to get worse. The blond wouldn't be surprised if it started to snow soon.

After waiting a few minutes, Laxus couldn't help but let his mind wonder over to his teammates. The blond tried to imagine the kind of guild that would kidnap two, very powerful wizards, and send one crawling back home, barely alive. The mere thought of those kinds of bastards sent lightning trailing down his body which freaked out a few people. Laxus couldn't help but picture the worst case scenario. However, he would not even consider the chance of the two being dead. He utterly refused to. If – in the end – that statement were true, Laxus knew he wouldn't be able to hold back his rage and he would most likely level this town without even trying.

Letting out a puff of air, the blond was just about to lose his patience. He couldn't stand standing around here any longer. His thoughts were getting darker and he was getting more and more pissed off. He needed to distract himself from those thoughts somehow or he would level this building.

Before a single trail of lightning trailed down his arm, Laxus spotted at hooded figure moving through the crowds in a rush. Usually, the blond wouldn't care for people who were constantly in a rush and criticize them in his mind. But before he got a thought out, the person's arm extended forward and the mage got a glimpse of a guild mark. This mark was one he's never seen before. It was colored black, of course, and showed a coffin with a disturbed smiling face on it. The coffin was barely open with a gruesome looking hand reaching out of it as if trying to grab to someone to occupy it.

Laxus' jaw clenched. He might've been a blond, but he wasn't an idiot like Natsu. That had to be the mark of whatever dark guild they were hunting. It _had_ to be!

With his mind set, he followed the figure through the crowd. He didn't wait for his temporary team, Laxus knew that they were too slow and were probably chatting up a storm, so he threw caution to the wind and followed. He stayed far enough were it wouldn't look like he was stalking the person but close enough so the lightning mage wouldn't lose them. His pace was much quicker than everyone else and his expression drove people to part like the red sea, yet the other didn't even notice they were being followed. This guy must've been another one of those idiots like Natsu.

Soon enough, the figure left the town and ventured into the forest. Laxus waited a bit then went after them. The blond was cautious at keeping himself hidden and making little to no noise, which was the complete opposite for the other. The person, as soon they were out of sight from wondering eyes, broke out into a sprint. It made it difficult for Laxus to keep up and be stealthy at the same time, but he managed it somehow.

After a while of stalking, the person stumbled upon a shack. They didn't even hesitate as the barged through the door and began to shout something the blond couldn't make out. From Laxus' hiding spot behind a tree, he could see nothing too unusual about the shack. But because he knew he was dealing with wizards, he figured there must've been some sort of spell that kept out intruders or something. Laxus didn't dwell on the thought too much for he knew the spell wouldn't be a problem (he's had to get out of more potent charms and such by a certain green-haired mage).

Waiting a good five minutes, Laxus then stepped out of his hiding space and blatantly marched up to the shed but ran into a force a few feet away from the door. He rolled his eyes as he placed a hand on the invisible wall. This was absolutely insulting compared to the spells his Freed conjured up.

With little effort, Laxus engulfed his hand in lighting and punched it at the force field which collapsed in an instant of magical shattering glass. The blond could hear people scattering within the shack and screams of both panic and anger. A smirk tugged at the lightning mage's mouth but his usual scowl remained on his face.

_I'm coming for you Freed,_ Laxus thought as he destroyed the door and entered the shack.

* * *

Not my longest chapter, but hey it's out there!

Feel free(d) to leave a review to tell me how I'm doing! ^^

Stay awesome everyone!


	6. Chapter 6

Bickslow sighed as he slumped into the sheets. He looked around the empty room and tried to process what Freed told him not too long ago, but it was hard. Freed was very decisive when he needed to be, which was often. The mage wasn't dumb, but he was nowhere near as cleaver as the green-haired wizard, so deciphering a message – that is if he were leaving a message, but he most likely was – was going to be quite difficult.

He closed his eyes and tried to remember what the other said:

_Bickslow was shaken awake by the other mage who had a distressed look on his face. A small sweat broke out on his hair line and he looked pissed to say the least._

_The Seith mage groggily said which rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "Hu, what's up Freed?" _

_"__There's no time," the other said in a rush and quiet tone, "I know they can hear us, but I have a plan to get out of here. I'm going to need _your big mouth_when the time is right, okay?" The larger male knit his brows as Freed continued, "But I don't need it now, just when I _say_so." As the mage said 'say' part of the green strands from the other's face fell to reveal the hidden purple eye that held so much magic energy. _

_The wizard was still half asleep as he listened to Freed's message and the next thing he knew the other was screaming something at the ceiling. For a moment, Bickslow thought he was still dreaming; Freed doing something so random was bazaar enough to think he was still asleep. _

_Bickslow couldn't make out what he was saying even thought the green-haired mage was screaming it to the heavens. Before the Seith mage knew it, strangers appeared out of nowhere and dragged Freed away. That was enough to snap the other out of his dream-like state and yell, "FREED!" _

_He tried to get out of the bed but his wounds blared out in pain. Bickslow winced and remained on the bed to his distaste. Through winced eyes, he saw Freed go willingly with those strangers. Bickslow tried to do something, anything, but the Freed and those other guys before he knew it. _

Sighing once more, Bickslow got up from his spot on the bed and stretched his sore muscles. He kept thinking over what Freed said: "_I'm going to need you big mouth . . . just when I _say_so._" It was all thoroughly confusing, but he had to figure out the code, and Bickslow _knew_ there was a code.

To others, it might just mean silly gibberish, but the Seith mage knew just enough to know that there was something deeper behind those words. Freed was thinking deeper, and the only reason Bickslow knew that was because the mage tended to knit his brows together and bite his bottom lip when he was conjuring up powerful spells and scripts, and he was doing just that when he delivered his final message. The mannerism was unmistakable. But that still didn't help the Seith mage's predicament.

The wizard had no idea how long the other has been gone, and he certainly didn't know when he would return. Bickslow could only assume the worst and that's what had him so fidgety. It was bad enough the Seith wizard couldn't do anything while his comrade was taken away, but now he _still_ can't do a thing to help out his friend.

Bickslow was sure he could use his magic to posses some furniture and try to break down the walls, but the key word in that sentence is _try_. He was sure Freed tried to get out of here anyway so what was the point of depleting his magic reserves?

Whatever Freed's plan was, Bickslow was sure it involved some sort of spell or something of that sort from his end. However, that big question nagging at his brain was: what? What did the green-haired mage want him to do?

The wizard wrung his hands as he thought on it for who knows how long.

Without any warning, four figures materialized into the room. Bickslow was on his feet in an instant, and in a battle stance to boot. He narrowed his eyes at the figures, but those eyes soon turned to shock as he saw Freed in the arms of one of those goons. One hooded person held him by his bound hands and by his green locks.

"Freed," he whispered in shock as he looked at the green-haired mage.

Just like Bickslow feared, Freed looked terrible. His face looked like it took quite the beating with blood trickling down his head, nose, and lip. His cloths were also in tatters, and the Seith mage could make out some faint blood stains. The poor guy looked like he barely stand on his feet.

Bickslow resisted the urge to stomp right over to the remaining three and punch them all square in the face. He settled for gritting his teeth and hissing out, "What did ya do to 'em, you monsters?!"

A different hooded person let out a deep chuckle. They snapped their fingers and the one holding his friend yanked Freed's hair back. The wizard let out a grunt through his teeth as his face was more exposed. Thankfully, his eye was still covered by his hair, but just barely.

The ringleader gave a wicked smile and said in a deep, raspy voice, "He wasn't cooperating, so we had – as you would say – _beat_ it into him."

The remaining two laughed at their supposed leader's words. Bickslow found nothing funny about them. Clenching his hands into fists, the Seith wizard found it more difficult to keep still and keep quiet. If he said the wrong thing they could easily take Freed away and do even more harm to him. He had to stay quiet for the Rune mage's sake, even if he would have to bit off his own tongue.

The smaller man shook his head and freed his green locks from his captor's fingers. When the two wizard's eyes met, Bickslow was surprised to see the glow of purple behind those strands of hair. Freed's eyes were narrow and hard to see, but that magical glow was hard to miss.

For a good while, the two held awkward eye contact. Freed was trying to tell him something, he definitely was, but Bickslow was just too thick headed to figure out what it was. Freed's mouth was drawn in a firm line and his eyes shifted from his captors to Bickslow then back again.

It was a hint. The Seith mage _knew_ it was a hint. _But a hint for _what_?!_ Bickslow wanted to scream.

It was when Freed showed off more of his magical eye did the larger mage start putting the hints together. _Big mouth, hu?. . ._ The Seith mage though.

Bickslow turned his attention back to the three, presumably wizards. The first goon still had this creepy smirk on his face while the other two looked just as entertained. With one last glance at his teammate, Bickslow started, "_Sooooo_, you're saying Freed here wasn't doing what you all wanted, and that made you beat the living daylights outta him?" The mage's tone was nowhere near as aggressive as it was before; in fact, it was just downright playful, like he was questioning a kid that knowingly stole from a cookie jar.

The larger wizard looked towards Freed for a sense of confirmation. It seemed that Bickslow had the right idea, but the attention needed to be off the rune mage. Thank goodness Bickslow seemed to get that message as he continued without another skip of a beat.

"Anyway!" he said in a bit too much of a rush, "What exactly should I call you lot, because 'bad-guy numbers one through three' isn't cutting it in my head."

The three exchanged looks for a moment before their leader hesitantly answered, "That is none of your concern."

"But of course it is!" Bickslow responded, not giving them a chance to recuperate, "I mean, you're keeping us here against our will. The least you guys can do is give us a name. Any name will do, really! Your name, this dark guild's name – cause this is obviously a dark guild – your boss' name – cause it's also obvious you aren't the mastermind behind all of this."

The Seith mage caught a glimpse of the one of the guild markings on one of the man's arms. It was a small little thing, but it freaked the hell out of the wizard. It's smiling face and the outstretched arm coming from a coffin . . . it was just plain creepy! Pushing his luck, Bickslow continued, "So, is that your guild marking?" Of course the man knew the answer to his own question, but if was amusing to watch the man quickly, and guiltily, cover up the symbol. A smirk of confidence appeared on his lips. "I'll take that as a yes!" Bickslow then chuckled to himself for a bit then kept talking. "Oh, don't tell me your guild name! I wanna guess it! . . . Hm. . . is it Mummy's Arm?" As he got no response, he continued his guesses. "Coffin of Bones? Dead Clowns? Cinco de mio?"

Freed had to applauded Bickslow on his rambling skills at a later date. He was leaving them speechless with their jaws at the floor and it was immensely entertaining, but Freed also had to go to work. As Bickslow was flapping his jaw, Freed would have to do the same. Due to his teammate's loud voice, it wasn't hard for the rune mage to cast weakening spells under his breath.

Because the green-haired man was taken out of their prison, he was able to see what sort of magic they used to get them in and out of their cell. And with that knowledge, Freed deduced the spells necessary to cast in order to get them out of here, or at least try.

Bickslow was talking for a good solid five minutes, and Freed had been conjuring charms in the same time, when they felt their room quiver and heard the echo of a loud crash. The three goons exchanged nervous glances and were all gone in that same instant; most likely to check what made that noise.

He didn't know why, but Freed was hopeful. Was it their guild coming to rescue them? Was it Laxus? Oh, god if it was him, it would be the biggest sense of bitter-sweetness Freed would ever feel. He would be so relieved yet so embarrassed.

As soon as those goons left, Bickslow rushed to Freed's side and helped the mage to a chair. As the larger male guided Freed, he used his soul magic and willed the restraints to untie themselves and fall to the floor. The green haired mage was glad to have his hands freed; he rubbed at the sore skin as he took a seat in a plush chair.

"What the hell did those guys do to ya?" Bickslow asked worriedly.

Relaxing in the chair, Freed rested his head on the back of the chair and stared at the ceiling as he answered a bit breathlessly, "Nothing I can't walk away from."

"By the way, what were you babbling about before? I mean, I think I got it, but what was it about?"

Freed took a second to collect his thoughts enough to answer the mage simply, "I wanted to distract them so I could break their concealing spell."

"Well, did ya? Did you break the spell?"

"Yes."

* * *

Thanks for being so patient with my guys! I'm so thankful for all the followers, favoriters, and reviewers! They all mean a lot to me and - as you can see - will make me work faster to get this out to you all!

And if anyone can guess what the dark guild is actually from (it's from another anime) then you shall get a special prize. The first three people to tell me what the dark guild's name and what show they are from will get a one-shot from me! ^^ So leave a review if you know what it's from and you just might get a special story!

Thanks again everyone!

Stay awesome! ^^


	7. Chapter 7

As the three appeared, other members of their guild were running around ramped. Their temporary guild hall's corridors were crowded with members moving toward and away from the madness.

"What's going on?!" one of the men asked a retreating member.

"It . . . It's . . ." the other stuttered.

"Out with it!" he ordered.

"A m-member of Fairy Tail broke through the barriers . . ."

He growled, "But that's impossible!"

"B-but this guy . . . i-it's Laxus. _Laxus Drayer_."

The man's eyes widened in fear. Laxus was here? _The _Laxus? No, that was impossible! Why would one of Fairy Tail's strongest members come here of all places? Was it to get back his comrades?

No. It couldn't possibly. Laxus was a selfish bastard; everyone knew that! So why, why was the lightning dragon slayer here?!

Another room quacking boom echoed around them followed by an enraged scream. At this point, it didn't matter why Drayer was here. The only thing that mattered was getting him out and not letting him take their prisoners. If that were to happen, all their plans would go to waste.

Their leader was about to give a command when the hallway shook with more vigor and the wall in front of them came crashing down in a cloud of smoke and debris. They were too late.

"_Where?!_" the lightning dragon slayer roared, "_Where are they?!_" Laxus had one hand on the wall he just demolished and the other was balled in a tight fist. Laxus gripped the wall with such vice that it almost cracked under his palm. Lightning crackled off his body and singed anything it touched. Fangs seemed to grow in his mouth the tighter he clenched his jaw. Only the white of the blond's eyes could be seen as they were too shooting out lighting.

To say that Laxus was pissed was an understatement. As he smashed though the door, he overheard a disturbing conversation about his guild mates. These dark guild members needed to learn how to talk quieter, but he supposed that it was for his own benefit so he didn't complain too much. But when Laxus heard them talk about, "some green haired mage getting the living shit beat out of 'em!" Laxus just about lost it.

He didn't realize how angry he was until he almost brought down the building in one attack. However, he had to restrain himself. He had to calm down. If he took out the whole place then he would risk the chance of crushing his teammates, and he most certainly couldn't have that.

With no warning, he marched up to one of the hooded men and grabbed him by the collar of his robes and yanked him off the ground a good few inches. Before, the men were frozen in fear as the blond approached, but as soon as they were out of his line of sight, they scattered like bugs.

"I asked you a question," Laxus hissed through his teeth.

The man shook in his hands as he was too paralyzed to answer. A look of true fear was plastered onto his face as his mouth opened and closed like a grounded flying-fish.

Laxus' jaw clenched impossibly tighter. He slammed the man against the back wall and repeated louder, "I said, _WHERE ARE THEY?!_"

"There!" he finally answered, "There! There! Th-th-they're in there! P-please! Please d-don't kill me!" The man tried to signal behind him but it proved to be a bit difficult considering he was trying to keep himself a bit more level with his hands, but the point got across.

Laxus glared at the wall behind him then back to the man. He was pathetic. The blond didn't even have to do a damn thing, just yell at him a bit, and he was reduced to a puddle of fear. The lightning mage shouldn't complain, but it really was pathetic.

The blond threw him to the ground and flicked some lightning at him for good measure. The man yelped in pain and then scattered away like the bug he is.

He then turned to examine the wall where the other guy pointed. It was just a wall. In other words there was no door to get in. Well, if this guy said that this is where they were keeping Freed and Bickslow, then they were just beyond this wall. Laxus hoped – for that guys' safety and life – that they were behind that wall.

Enveloping his fist with lightning, Laxus punched at the wall and it collapsed like all the others in a heap of debris and dust. Lightning traveled up the wall and broke it to pieces in an instant. Laxus created a perfect circle leading into a secret room and the hallway. So it looks like that guy was right.

Laxus was about to enter the room when he was hit by an invisible wall. He gripped his aching nose and glared into the room. He was mentally cursing at the spell that kept him separated from him and his comrades. Laxus was about to rip it down, like he did with the last protection spell, but he paused. The blond looked into the room to find it completely different than what he imagined. The room was luxurious to say the least. The scarred mage was picturing more of a prison chamber or a torture room, but this . . . this was the complete opposite of what he thought of.

"Laxus!" a voice called, and a familiar one at that. The blond blinked and gazed into the room to see, to the side, a bandaged Bickslow and a damaged Freed in his arms. The lightning wizard heard Bickslow mutter to the other, "I thought you said you broke the spell!"

"At least I thought I did . . ." Freed replied in a broken voice.

Seeing the green haired man so crippled made something snap inside of Laxus. Sparks flew from his eyes. He dug his lightning encrusted fingers into the protection spell, and with two strong pulls the charm was shredded to pieces. Laxus did this so suddenly, Bickslow jumped at the shattering of the spell. He looked over his shoulder toward the blond calmly – eerily calmly – walk over towards them.

Without a word, Laxus plucked Freed from his arms. He held him gently, which shocked the Seith mage because Laxus wasn't known for _gentle_. The blond rested Freed's head on his chest – Freed seemed to have passed out while Laxus was breaking through the barrier – and carried the man bridal style.

The blond turned around and started to walk out. It entertained Bickslow that Laxus didn't even bother to see if he was okay, but he was actually fine with it. Freed needed more attention from the blond anyway. Funny, only a few hours ago – or at least Bickslow assumed it was hours and not days – the Seith mage was worse off than the green haired man.

Bickslow got off the ground and followed Laxus' wake of destruction as they exited the building. The lightning mage really left everything in ruin as he left; not a soul was left under all that rubble.

* * *

Am I saying Laxus pretty much just killed all those dudes in that dark guild? Why yes... yes I am. I'm sorry if that bothers anyone (I'm sure it doesn't but I feel the need to say it) but I feel that there just needs to be a bit more death, epically in a show this violent (but I'm in no means saying I want people to die!).

I also wish to thank everyone who's favorited, followed, and reviewed~! Especially those who reviewed! Speaking of reviews, I still have one slot open for my little contest. To remind everyone, this contest I'm holding is to guess what the name of the dark guild is in this story for it is from another anime. Please write a review to submit your answer! So far I have two winners and I'm lookin for that one more lucky soul! If you want more info, there's more on the previous chapter!

With the two winners, I have one request (Fraxus smut with dom!Freed ^^), but with the other winner (Kitty723) I still haven't gotten your request :/ Please PM me with your prize!

Thanks once again for everyone's support! Stay Awesome! ^^


	8. Chapter 8

Freed doesn't really remember much of what happened after being carried out of the dark guild's hideout. From when the man was scooped up in the larger man's arms and to when said man destroyed the HQ, afterwards Freed passed out in Laxus' arms. It was odd to say that it was quite comfortable in the lightning dragon slayer's arms, but to be fair Freed was exhausted. Between arguing with disembodied voices and beatings, he could use a good nap.

When the green haired man awoke he was greeted with familiar walls and a comfortable bed. It wasn't nearly as plush as the bed in his former prison – in fact it was quite stiff on his back – but he supposed that's what made it better than the former: the stiffness was familiar, hence better. It made sense in his mind, but he suppose out loud it would sound a bit odd.

After staring at the ceiling, as those odd thoughts ran though his mind, he decided to try and sit up, which was a bad idea. His head started to ache and throb. He raised a hand to press it against his forehead, which was also a bad idea. His muscles were sore, and even from a simple action such as that he was feeling the pain shoot down his spine and spread out through his body. He let out a quiet hiss through his teeth as he slowly placed his hand back down and lowered his head onto the pillows. Freed clenched his eyes shut and waited for all the pain to subside.

Once it was a tad bit more bearable, the green haired man opened his eyes again and looked around the room from his position on the pillows. He didn't know what he was expecting to see, but a sleeping Laxus in a chair sitting next to his bed wasn't one of them. Freed's eyes widened slightly – he silently noted that one of them was a bit swollen and wouldn't extend as much as the other.

What in the world was the lightning dragon slayer doing here?

Freed considered the thought: _Does he care that much?_ But he dismissed the thought. Why would Laxus be so concerned? He hasn't shown such to him before, so why start now? Was it just the fact that he was in trouble? Damn. . . none of these questions were really making sense to Freed; maybe he had a concussion as well. . .

Before Freed's mind could wonder to stranger places, he noticed something he probably shouldn't have. His face turned scarlet as he turned his head away.

_Why? Oh goodness, why?_ Freed thought as he clenched his eyes shut. _Why is Laxus . . . hard? _

Just to confirm his suspicion, Freed spared another glance towards the other to see that the blond was indeed concealing a boner. The odd thing was that Laxus looked completely content as he slept, but his lower regions were a bit more active.

It's been a while since Freed's face has been so red. He wanted to cover his burning cheeks and pretend he didn't see anything, but curiosity was stronger than embarrassment so he began to really analyze and try to answer his unasked questions. The main question that popped in his head – one in which he was afraid of the answer, but at the same time he was just dying to know – was: what was he dreaming about?

Before Freed could think about it anymore, the doors slammed open and a boisterous voice called, "YOU UP YET?"

Freed flinched in his bed, and Laxus nearly jumped out of his seat at the sudden wake-up call. The green haired mage would've laughed at that if he wasn't currently bedridden. Although, the sudden loud noise made Freed's head pound once again. He let out a groan, not afraid to be heard now.

A slap echoed in the room followed by a barely audible noise of pain.

"Well, they're awake now!" another voice said in an angrier tone.

"What?" the other person said, trying to sound innocent.

The two new comers stepped inside, and to no surprise, it was Bickslow and Evergreen. The brunet looked a lot better now that all her wounds had healed. However, Bickslow was still wrapped in a few bandages, but he was smiling nonetheless.

The two looked great considering they walked out of a war not too long ago, which was a completely different story for the green haired wizard. He laid on his back and was covered in bandages, ones in which needed to be changed. One of his eyes was a bit swollen and his lip was cut in two places. Bags hung under his eye and he looked more pale than usual. It was hard for the two, three counting Laxus, to see the rune mage in this state. He looked so weak, so fragile, which was the exact opposite of the green haired man. He was strong willed and powerful, to see him bedridden was almost comical.

However, Evergreen pulled a smile to her face and walked over to the wizard's bedside, the opposite one from Laxus. "Hey Freed," she greeted in a sweetened tone, "how are you feeling?"

It was a silly question to ask, but one that needed to be said. Freed gave a lopsided smile and replied, in a much more hoarse voice than he anticipated, "I'll be fine, Ever."

She huffed a bit, but her smile didn't dwindle, "That's not what I asked, silly."

Freed huffed himself. It seemed nothing got past the brunet. He didn't answer her however, for she already knew the answer as soon as she saw the mage. There was a quiet pause for a moment, until Bickslow broke it with a, "So, when will you be able to get up? I mean, doing jobs with just Ever is boring!"

"Why you!" fairy mage growled.

Freed chuckled at the two as they continued to bicker. He was about to suggest that Laxus go with the duo, but he held his tongue. It would be a bit odd for Freed to push Laxus onto them like he didn't want him around, where on the contrary it was just the opposite. Of course seeing that Laxus was the only one to keep him company while he was healing made his heard skip a beat, even if it wasn't for the reason Freed wanted it to be.

With a blink, Freed realized that the blond had been quiet for quite a bit now, not to say that Laxus talked a lot to begin with. Turning his gaze towards the blond, he realized that the lightning mage was nowhere to be seen. Voicing his confusion, Freed asked, "Where did Laxus go?"

The two ceased their squabbling and looked towards the green haired wizard. His eyes were still fixated on the spot Laxus use to be. It wasn't abnormal for the man to just slip out, but it was still concerning.

* * *

Laxus had to get out of there. That didn't mean the blond wasn't happy Freed was awake and some-what okay. That also didn't mean the lightning wizard didn't enjoy his team's company, he found it quite entertaining at times. No, he had to get out of there because of his stupid boner springing dreams, and about the green haired man that was mere a few feet away no less.

Yes, it has come to that. His dreams – he even hesitates to call them that at this point. They've continued to evolve, and his mystery fucker has gained a_real_ identity. It was both a shock and realization to him once he figured out that _Freed_ was the one beneath him while he slept. It was a shock because it was more than just someone he knew: it was one of his closest friends! However, with how he's been acting these last few days – how the rune mage never left his thoughts – he supposed it was inevitable.

He wasn't disappointed with the fact, but he wasn't happy either. _Did this mean he had feelings for Freed?_ Well, the man did look quite attractive in his dreams and he wasn't too bad looking in the real world as well . . . Freed was always there for Laxus, and even put up with all of his childish and crazy antics. . .

_But would Freed accept him back?_ Well, the mage has been with him for this long, and if Laxus thinks back on it, there have been instances where signs have been shown of interest in him.

_Would it ever work?_ Wait, why the hell would he think that? Why does he care? Laxus hasn't even said anything yet – he can't even make up his mind whether he likes the man or not – and here he is thinking of cheesy crap like that; like _this_!

With an angry sigh, Laxus raked his fingers though his hair and slumped against the wall. With a few more calming breaths, the blond let his head fall back against the brick with a soft _thunk_. He tried to clear his mind. He closed his eyes and just listened to the sounds around him, which happened to be nothing, and calmed his pulse – and therefore getting rid of his problem down stairs (it wasn't too bad, and years of training helped him control his body).

By the time he was calm, a voice interrupted his peace. "Laxus?"

The blond uncharacteristically flinched. His eyes snapped open and looked towards the source of the voice. Standing in the middle of the hall was none other than the root of his problems.

Freed was standing, barefoot, in the middle of the hall. He didn't quite hold an expression on his face, but Laxus could tell that it took a lot of energy to make it over here. A small sweat broke out over that pale skin and his cheeks were a tiny bit rosy. His hair was a complete mess, and Laxus didn't realize just how many bandages coated the male's body until now.

The rune mage tilted his head slightly to the right as if waiting for the blond to respond. Oh, Freed shouldn't do that. He looked far too adorable when he did that!

Clearing his throat, and trying to hide his blush, Laxus responded with a quick and gruff, "What?"

"I was just wondering if you were alright . . ." Freed gasped out. His voice still sounded so horrible. Laxus could barely stand hearing it so broken.

"I should be the one askin' you that," the blond replied, "Speaking of, why the hell are you out of bed?"

The green haired man looked down. With a sigh from the lightning mage, Laxus approached Freed. The rune wizard thought he was about to be scolded by his leader, but was pleasantly surprised when he was swept off his feet, literally.

Laxus grabbed Freed's shoulders and the backs of his knees and lifted him in his arms, bridal style. To not lose his balance, the green haired mage instinctively grabbed onto the back of Laxus' neck.

Without a word, the larger man carried Freed back to his room. Freed tried not to stare at Laxus but he couldn't help his wondering eyes. His eyes were glued forward and his mouth was pressed in a thin line. His eyebrows were furrowed slightly, but it didn't quite make him look upset, it made him look more focused. He was just so strong and handsome in Freed's eyes. He would dare even say in anyone's eyes, because you would have to be blind to even consider Laxus as anything other than godly. Even the scar that cut over his eye was alluring.

Not meaning to, Freed leaned his head against that broad shoulder. He didn't mean to close his eyes and fall into a slumber, but he suddenly felt exhausted. Laxus didn't seem to complain so he let sleep consume him.

Laxus looked down as the smaller man when he heard his breathing evened out. He didn't find it odd that Freed stared at him as he carried him down the short corridor, so he suppose that worked both ways. He gazed down at his sleeping face and couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. It was ridiculously cheesy, but love was cheesy, he supposed.

* * *

Thanks again to everyone who's been sticking with me and this rollercoaster of a story! So, what I'm going to do is leave this story here as it is! So... **THE END**!

However, because I have all those one shots to write, I'm thinking of either connecting them to this story - somehow. I can totally do that OR have those one-shots separate from this and then have some sort of epilogue for this story.

Please leave a review telling me what you guys want. If I don't get any word from anyone, I'm going to leave this story be and just put the one-shots from the my little contest on this story (so that the winners don't have to hunt down their prizes)

Anyhow, thanks once again to everyone who's supported. Whether it be though a review, a fav, or just simply reading! Thank you all once again!

Stay awesome! ^^


	9. Chapter 9

Ask and thou shall receive! ^^ This is just a little epilogue to end this little story. After this I will work on the one shots for all those winners out there (I even have one of them done :D) But anyway, here's the real end! Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me! Thanks to everyone who left a review or faved or followed! Just... Thanks everyone and enjoy! =)

* * *

"Deflect!" Freed yelled. Appearing around Laxus a barrier of purple scrip protected the mage from in incoming attack that he didn't see coming.

The blond looked over his shoulder at the script. A smile grew on his face and he looked up to the skies to the green haired wizard. With a smile he nodded to the flying mage and continued to pummel the foe in front of him.

Freed acted as their teams eyes in the sky for this bout. He circled the fights, casting spells when needed and even took out a few enemy wizards with a few commands and a wave of his sword.

The fight was looking to be in the Thunder Legions favor, yet it had been that way since the start. However, now it seemed to be coming to a close. Freed was relieved for all this to be over. All he wanted to do was go home and curl up with a nice book (if he was lucky, Laxus would accompany him).

Because Freed's thoughts were in the clouds, he didn't see the incoming wizard that took flight. The enemy, with a roar, tackled right into Freed and the two were sent plummeting to the ground. The green haired man could hear his name being called out by his teammates as he fell from the heavens – Laxus was particularly loud.

As the two crashed to the ground, their bodies tumbled onto the earth like ragdolls. Freed's body slammed into a tree with such force that fruits fell from its branches. Luckily none of them hit him, but his spine was throbbing from the impact.

With shaky legs, the mage got to his feet and faced the wizard that knocked him out of the air. The other looked just as shaken as he. Scratches and bruises littered both their bodies, but that didn't stop either of them from attacking one another. Freed, with a swipe of his sword, yelled out spell after spell in attempts to stop the other mage – which happened to be a Gunner mage – as they shot bullets at his head.

The brawl went on for a bit before Freed was tricked and reduced to his knees. He gripped his injured thigh with one hand and his sword with the other. He looked up at the dark mage with a scowl. The other gazed down at him with a smirk and held the gun to his forehead. Freed had no doubt he would shoot, but he was ready for the attack, regardless.

Freed was about to call out a Dark Écriture, when the man above him was suddenly blasted off. The rune mage blinked a few times. Did he see that right? Looking to the side, Freed saw the man a few yards away from him, on his side, and smoke coming off his body in rolls.

Turning his attention to the other direction, Freed saw a familiar figure that pieced the puzzle together. Laxus made his way over to the green haired mage. His fists were clenched and his jacked flowed over his shoulders. His expression more pissed than anything, but as soon as he caught sight of Freed on one knee, Laxus' eyes grew in shock and he quickened his pace.

The man was next to Freed in seconds. "What happened?!" he all but roared.

With a small smile, the rune mage replied, "It's nothing, really Laxus." Freed tried with all his power to keep the wound covered. It was no shock that the blond didn't buy the rune mage's lie, but Freed didn't want to make the other fuss over him. It's happened far too many times for the rune mage to count. No matter who he was up against, Freed would never back down from an enemy. Because of this mentality, he would get hurt along the way, and to be honest who wouldn't. Even the strongest of wizards got scratched up from time to time.

However, Laxus didn't see things the same way as the green haired man. Laxus just wanted to protect Freed; seeing the other hurt – like in this instance – made his heart cringe and his temper rise. He wanted to protect him.

The blond's temper didn't seem to die. Angrily, Laxus ripped a strip of his shirt off and tied it around the bullet wound on Freed's leg. The green haired male flinched at the pain when Laxus knotted the cloth a bit too tightly. He muttered a quick sorry before taking off the jacket around his shoulders and draping it around Freed's slimmer ones.

The rune mage could feel his face heat up as he nearly whispered, "Thank you, Laxus."

Without discussion, Laxus grabbed Freed by the waist and hoisted him up into his arms. The blond was mindful of his injured leg that was now leaking a large amount of blood. Freed yelped and grabbed the back of Laxus' neck out of impulse. The rune wizard didn't know how many times this has happened now, but he's been lifted without consent several times now. One would think he would be use to this, but it surprised him every time.

Although, Freed never found himself to complain, even now. As Laxus was walking the both of them out of the forest – which doubled as the battle field – Freed simply hung onto the larger male and went along for the ride. After years of being his teammate, the green haired man knew that Laxus' mind could not be swayed after it was set, and right now it was set on making sure Freed was safe.

The wound began to throb after a while, and the smaller male's complexion began to pale. His eyes drooped and he rested his head against Laxus' shoulder. Freed didn't realize how exhausted he was until now. With the combination of expending his magic and the loss of blood, Freed had to fight to stay awake.

Laxus noticed this and looked down to the drowsy mage. "Oi."

Freed looked up at him with interest.

"You can sleep if you want. The train station is still a bit away, so you can rest."

Freed blinked at few times as he looked up at the blond. Laxus' face was dusted with pink – which could've been from exhaustion as well or embarrassment – and Freed's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. He was simply too cute.

"Yes, Laxus," he muttered under his breath. A smile made its way onto his face as his eyes drifted close. He nuzzled his head against the larger man's shoulder and allowed his eyes to close fully. Before Freed could slip into slumber he felt a pair of lips press themselves against the crown of his head. The action made the green haired man nuzzle closer and a blush to form on his cheeks.

He didn't mind being carried like this at all if it was Laxus doing so.


End file.
